Device for adjusting garments.



K058629571. Y PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

- J. MATHERS.

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING GARMENTS.

. APPLIOATION FILED F3334, 1905.

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' Attorneys.

vice.

JOSEPH MATHERS, OF NEW YORK, N.

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING GARMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed February 24,1905.Serial No. 247,140.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .Iosnrn MATHERs, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices forAdjusting Garments, of which the following is a specification.

The object I have in view is the production of a device for adjustingthe fit of garments, which device will comprise a strap secured to thegarment, and a clasp also secured to the garment, and engaging with thestrap, the entire device being attractive in appearance, simple andcheap to manufacture, and easy to adjust.

A further object is to the free extremity of the provide means forholding in strap, to preventits protruding, and to prevent theundesirable fullness of mate rial where a buckle is employed.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete dc- Fig. 2 is an enlargedperspective view of the clasp. Fig. 3 is a partial section of the devicewith the clasp in a clamping position; and Fig. 4 is a similar view withthe clasp unclamped.

In carrying out my invention I provide a strap or band 1, which isattached to the garment 2 at 3. The strap is preferably of the samematerial as the fabric of the garment. It may be used for adjusting thewaist fit of trousers, at the back or sides, or for use at the knee ofshort trousers, or at other places where desirable. In connection withthe strap 1 is provided a clasp 4 of metal for drawing or puckering thegarment between the points of attachment of the strap and clasp. Thisclasp is secured in place by a loop 5 of fabric attached at 6 to thegarment. The loop 5 may be made of different material from the garmentand strap, a material which may be thinner, and more durable, but whichmight be of objectionable appearance if uncovered and exposed.

The construction of the clasp is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and is madepreferably of sheet metal suitably finished as by nickel plating,drawing to the desired color, or otherwise. The body of the clasp 7 isprovided with ears 8, 8, bent at right angles to the body. The body alsohas a slot 9 for attachment of the loop 5. In connection with the bodyis provided a movable piece or flap 10, having short lugs 11, which areadapt ed to enter openings 12 in the ears 8. connection with theopenings in the ears constitute a hingeor pivot for the flaps. The flaphas a handle portion 10 (shown with a central opening, made forornament) joined to an angularly curved portion 13, which merges into astraight portion 14 These lugs in I 1 I i right angles to the body ofthe flap. The lugs 11 are located at the point where the portions 13 and14 join. The free extremity of the straight portion 14 is provided withnumerous serrations 15. These serrations are in the form of sharp pointsseparated by curved portions, a number of these points being produced.As shown in Fig. 2 there are five of such points. The base and flap areso proportioned that the handle portion 10 will extend a considerabledistance beyond the base, so that the flap when folded down will notengage with the clasp, but at a distance somewhat behind it, and willcome in contact with the loop 5, 01' the free end of the strap 1, if thelatter is within the clasp. This handle will force the free end of thestrap inward and hold it in place. The handle extending beyond the basewill also force thefree end of the strap into contact with the loop 5,and around the end of the base. This will reduce the projection of thefree end of the strap, and prevent the undesirable formation of anenlargement at this point, which would be the case if the two parts werethe same length or the base the longer of the two.

The straight portion 14 of the flap is so proportioned that when in thefull line position shown in Fig. 3, the serrated edge will be in closei'elation to the base 7. When in the full line position shown in Fig. 3with the strap I inserted between the base 7 and the flap 10 the formerwill be engaged by the serrations and the fabric compressed between thetwo parts of the clasp. Upon the flap being moved to the dotted lineposition, the handle portion 10 will engage the strap, causing theserrated portion 14 to pass the center the flap snapping into place, andwill then hold the parts in position. The flap cannot be reversed, orits handle portion moved outwards, without first compressing the fabricsbelow the serrations, so that the clasp will not accidentally becomeopened. Any tendency of the strap to be pulled out of the clasp will beresisted by the serrations, the flap turning upon its axis and forcingthe handle portion 10 against the strap. The pull of the strap upon theserrated portion of the flap will tend to rotate the flap upon its axis,and will engage the handle portion 10 with the strap. The amount of thisengagement will be in proportion to the amount of pull upon theserrations. The engagement of the handle portion with the free end ofthe strap will hold the latter in place, and prevent it from protrudingwithout the need of additional devices for this purpose. This has agreat advantage over the usual buckle, which requires that the free endof the strap be inserted in a slot in the buckle, 01' otherwise disposedof, by a separate movement of the operator. By my device the free end ofthe strap will be automatically held in place and prevented which is atA from protruding.

The extension of the handle portion 10 beyond the base of the claspprovides a means for bending in the strap after it passes through theclasp, thus preventing the formation of the undesirable projection whichis the case with buckles. This construction also permits a minimumthickness at the point which would not be the case if the handle andbase extended the same distance.

It will be noted that the clasp having a serrated portion, while it willfirmly engage with the fabric, will not injure it in any way,furthermore, owing to the short radius of movement of the serratedportion the clasp may be more readily adjusted than a buckle, whichrequires that its prongs be passed entirely through the fabric, orentirely withdrawn in adjusting.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is 1- The combination with a garment, of a strap 1attached thereto, and a clasp 4 also attached thereto, the clasp havinga base and a flap pivoted thereto the fiap having a serrated edge, whichis forced into engagement with the strap, and a handle portion, the saidhandle portion extending beyond the end of the base, and forcing thefree end of the strap against the base and around the end thereof.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of February, 1005.

JOSEPH MATHERS.

Witnesses .Lnms SKINNER, Jr., EDWARD F. Ir'rmzoa.

